Description
A vibrant and nutritious salad featuring crispy quinoa, tender chicken, fresh vegetables, and a zesty lemon vinaigrette.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cups water or broth
- 2 boneless chicken breasts
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil
- Fresh mixed greens (spinach, arugula, or romaine)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cucumber, diced
- Bell peppers, chopped
- Fresh herbs (basil, parsley, or cilantro)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil (for dressing)
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- Crispy chickpeas or nuts (optional)
Instructions
- Rinse quinoa under cold water, then combine with water or broth in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for about 15 minutes until fluffy. Let it cool.
- Season the chicken with salt, pepper, and herbs. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sear chicken for 6-7 minutes on each side until golden brown. Let rest before slicing.
- Chop vegetables and herbs while chicken cooks.
- Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey, salt and pepper for the dressing.
- In a large bowl, combine cooled quinoa, sliced chicken, chopped vegetables, and herbs. Drizzle with dressing and mix gently.
- Top with crispy chickpeas or nuts just before serving.
Notes
Allow quinoa to cool completely to prevent wilting the greens. Make the dressing ahead of time for better flavor.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 300mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 60mg
Keywords: quinoa salad, chicken salad, healthy salad, crispy salad